Summer of Light
by Trinity Everett
Summary: Two years after her mother's murder, Kate Beckett returns to a special place from her childhood to find light and keep her head above water, and ends up finding so much more. Pre-Series, Meeting AU. For the 2017 Castle Ficathon.
1. Chapter 1

**Summer of Light**

 ** _Two years after her mother's murder, Kate Beckett returns to a special place from her childhood to find light and keep her head above water, and ends up finding so much more. _Pre-Series, Meeting AU._ _For the 2017 Castle Ficathon.__**

* * *

Riding her motorcycle might not have been the best of decisions, given how much gear she's hauling, but the rush of the wind and the thrum of the engine underneath her backside is exactly what she needs.

She can't forget, not for good, but she can certainly try to let it slip her mind every once in a while.

That's the whole reason she had agreed to this at all, really; she needs to let it – her mother's _murder_ – fall away from time to time. Taking a position as a counselor at the same summer camp she had attended as a child is an opportunity to get away for a few months. To get away from her father's melancholy, from watching him pour himself into the bottle each night, from the disappointment of her semester, and the persistent ache of her mother's absence.

She needs to let some light in before the darkness overwhelms her, before it swallows her whole.

Camp Juniper is the way to do that; it has to be. Nothing else in the last two years has worked.

So last night she had kissed her father's forehead as he slept in his recliner – doing her best not to gag at the sharp scent of sweat and liquor – and packed as much as she felt comfortable carrying on her motorcycle, setting out this morning to begin her summer. Now, hours later, Kate allows the bike to slow, not wanting to come roaring up to the main cabin. As much fun as it would be to mess with the director, it's probably for the best that she doesn't start the summer on the wrong foot. That said, she has been looking forward to watching people's eyes bug out a bit when they realize exactly _who_ is on the bike. Little Katie Beckett's not so little anymore.

Heads do turn as she rolls past, some amused, some curious, some just shy of appalled, and Kate smothers a smile. This place certainly hasn't changed; it's still as sleepy as ever. But that's what she needs right now. She needs the quiet, the simplicity, the reminder of better times.

Almost like it was meant for her, there's a parking space at the end of the long drive, close enough to be seen from what she hopes will be her cabin, and she zips into it, killing the engine and setting both feet on the ground. Lifting her helmet and shaking out her hair, she drags a deep breath into her lungs, letting the scent of pine calm the rabbit of her heart.

"Always have to make an entrance, don't you, Katie?"

Twisting, Kate's greeted by a familiar smile, as tender as it is teasing.

"Hi, Andy," she says, easing off the bike. Her legs wobble a bit, rubbery after so many hours on the road (which clearly means she needs to ride more), but she manages to right herself. "What can I say?" she adds, allowing a sly smile to escape as her shoulders lift. "I don't want anyone to forget me."

"As if that could ever happen," Andy chuckles, stepping up to rub her arms with the same affection he'd always reserved for her. The man has been a friend of her mother and father's since before they were married; he's never treated Kate as anything less than family, and as she sinks into his embrace, she's so grateful he still works at the camp.

"How're you holding up, kiddo?" he asks, resting his cheek on her hair.

Her throat tightens, but she forces herself to breathe and attempt a smile for him. It's not his fault that the last time they saw each other was before her mother was murdered, or that the wounds are still open and weeping despite the amount of time that has passed since Johanna's death.

"I'm okay. Glad there was a spot for me this summer."

Recognizing her try for what it is, Andy smiles sadly, the motion deepening the weathered lines on his face.

"There's always a place for you here, Katie. You know that."

Given that she barely feels like she fits at her own home, that helps. It truly does.

"Thanks," she breathes, pulling away. "I know I'm a few hours late, but have I missed anything so far?"

Andy shakes his head, freeing her bags from the back of her bike and tossing them over his shoulder.

"Just the new hire orientation; which you needed to attend about as much as you need a hole in the head."

Kate laughs, shaking her head. "Unless policies somehow changed between my last year and now, I think I'm good. _Has_ anything changed in the last few years?"

"Does anything ever?"

Another laugh works its way from her throat. She had stopped coming to the camp for exactly that reason. It was stagnant, never changing, and as a counselor at the wise old age of eighteen, she had needed to stretch her legs and spread her wings. But now the familiarity is comforting.

"That's okay; it's not altogether a bad thing sometimes," she murmurs.

"True," Andy says, leading her to the cabin one over from the end. She's not too disappointed not to be in the last cabin; she can still see her bike from here, and it's still accessible should she need to make a mad dash to cover it. "They should be going to chow in about an hour, if you want to meet them there after you get settled."

Kate nods, taking a careful step into the cabin. Her riding boots thud heavily on the oak floors, the sound echoing across the bare walls. This is her home for the next nine weeks. The space is barren save for two sets of battered maple furniture, but she'll fix that once she unpacks and brings out her own things. Of course, she'll have to compete for space with her roommate, but she's been doing that every year since she started college, so it shouldn't be a big deal.

"My roommate's not here yet?" she asks, taking her bags from Andy and tossing them onto the bed at the far end of the room. As late to arrive as she is, it's surprising that the other girl is even later.

Andy shakes his head. "Flying in tomorrow. She's not a newbie either, so she'll be here in time for the campers to arrive on Sunday. Good news is you got your choice of bunks, and I can help you rearrange the room while I'm here, if you want the furniture some other way."

Kate chuckles. "This is good, but thank you."

He nods, leaning against the dresser she decides to leave for the other girl, watching as she surveys her stuff.

"I may have to duck into town at some point for another blanket," she muses, tapping the side of her bag. "The one I brought is pretty small."

Her friend smiles. "Need a ride? I have to make a run myself to pick up some supplies in the next few."

As tempting as it is, she declines. "I'll survive for tonight. Thanks, though."

"You sure? It'll be a short trip, get you back before afternoon activities. You might have to skip lunch, but I think I can spring for buying you something in town."

She hesitates; she had considered skipping lunch anyway, but her plan had been to use that hour to wander, reacquaint herself with the grounds. To attempt to find her equilibrium. But having the added cargo space of Andy's truck would mean she can pick up more of the things she hadn't had room to pack, making it so she won't have to make a second trip into town until it's unavoidable.

"Oh, what the hell? Better to go now than have to try to sneak away once the campers are here."

Andy grins, his face lighting up. "Great. I'll give you a few minutes to get settled and meet you at the truck?"

Kate nods, hoping the smile she gives him isn't as painted as it feels. It's been a while since she's exercised the muscles in her face to do anything but frown.

"I'll be ready in a sec; I just want to make sure I know what I need."

Andy nods. "See you then. Truck's parked where it always is."

Kate smiles. "Thanks."

"Anytime, Katie. You know that." With that, Andy slips out of the cabin, leaving her to her bags and her thoughts.

* * *

They're barely two hours into their trip, and his daughter's eager, fast chatter has slowed almost to a halt. At first, he thinks she's fallen asleep, or has opened one of the many (and he means _many_ ) books she had somehow managed to shove into her bag, but a glance in the rear-view mirror finds her staring out the window, her lip between her teeth.

"Hey, pumpkin, what's the matter?"

Alexis looks up, straightening in her booster seat. "Nothing, Daddy. I'm great."

Except for the fact that her body language tells a completely different story. A story he recognizes from his first time going to boarding school.

"Are you sure? Did you get bored playing the license plate game?"

She heaves a sigh, dropping her head back against the seat. "There aren't enough cars to play it, Daddy."

"That's part of the challenge. And we both know you're going to beat me if you don't get more of a challenge."

Alexis giggles, looking away quickly, the unsettled frown returning to her mouth.

"Alexis, hey," he prompts, getting her eyes again. "Do you need me to stop?"

Her head thrashes. "No! No, don't stop. I'm okay, Daddy."

"Just a little bit nervous?" he guesses, seeing her shoulders sag. She nods, looking at her hands.

Rick nods in return, even though she can't see him. He's glad they'd decided to drive up a day or so early, because there is no way he would be able to drop her off and leave when she's feeling like this. "That's normal, Sweetheart, but you're going to be great. And you're going to have so much fun."

"What if nobody likes me? Four weeks is a really long time to have no friends."

"Impossible," he insists. "You'll make so many friends, you won't even know what to do with them. And you won't even notice the month going by."

His daughter slumps back against her seat. "I hope so, Daddy."

He does, too. This is the first time she's been away from home except to visit Meredith, and he'd been reluctant to commit to a month for that, let alone for _camp_. Alexis had done everything she could to convince him, swearing it would be awesome like her favorite book. He'd relented when she'd brought Kelsey and Taylor on board, but he's having second thoughts now that the other girls have dropped out; he's even considering switching her to the two-week option, even though he knows she'll argue.

Rick bites his lip. "Tell you what." He waits to continue until she meets his eyes in the mirror. "If, and this is a big if, you're not having fun after a couple of days, you can call me and I'll come get you. Or, if you're having fun, but you decide you want to come home after two weeks, I'll come get you then."

His daughter considers his offer, her eyes wide. "You promise?"

"I promise." Even though it's a pretty long drive to camp from Manhattan, he will be there – day or night – if she needs him.

Alexis nods. "Okay, you've got a deal."

"Okay," he echoes, returning his attention to the road. He just hopes she'll be okay, regardless of how long she stays.

* * *

The trip into town is exactly as she remembered. Same bumps in the road – grooves that have obviously been patched and worn down again – same row of weather-beaten storefronts, same tiny town square. The general store hasn't changed a bit either, save for the fact that it's cleaner and brighter inside, and there's a surprising amount of contemporary merchandise resting on the shelves.

"Finally joining the 20th century, I see," she teases, checking her pockets to be sure her wallet hasn't fallen out during the short walk across the parking lot.

Her friend snorts. "I seem to remember someone saying something about a town needing more than single ply toilet paper and generic bug spray to survive," Andy shoots back, lifting an eyebrow. Kate laughs at having her younger self's words thrown back at her, but lifts a shoulder anyway.

"I had a point, didn't I?"

Andy chuckles. "Think you're so smart, city girl."

"Well, I kinda am." She grins, grabbing one of the store's ancient, rickety carts and steering it down the closest aisle.

Andy shakes his head. "Okay, smarty pants, get what you need and meet me back at the truck in twenty. Holler if you need more time."

"I will," she agrees, already looking around.

She finds what she needs in five minutes flat; the general store isn't that big and she refuses to buy too much anyway. After that, she just wanders, surveying the rest of the new merchandise before heading to the checkout. On a whim, she tosses a few bags of candy onto her pile; she'll need the sweets, she knows, and maybe her roommate will reciprocate if she shares.

See? She can make friends. Provided she doesn't say too much or make things weird with her "sob story," as her most recent former friends had said she's wont to do. Yeah, her mother being murdered has been awfully inconvenient for others in her social circles; she'll try to keep their discomfort to a minimum from now on.

Shaking the thought away, she adds another bag of Skittles – just in case. If nothing else, she can make them rewards for her campers when they go above and beyond. She had always loved it when her counselors did that, so it's a tradition she'll try to continue.

Andy's already waiting when she emerges with too many bags hanging from her wrists. He knows better than to offer to take them, so he simply lowers the tailgate of his truck and points to the partition she knows he'd created specifically to transport groceries and smaller items to and from the camp.

"Thanks," Kate breathes once her hands are free again.

"Get everything?" he asks, his smile easy.

"And more," she says, looking a little sheepish. "But it's good. Means I won't have to bug you again for a while."

He shakes his head, patting her shoulder. "The last thing you do is bug me, Katie. Except for that time I had dinner with you and your parents when you were six and you asked 'why' questions for two straight hours."

"Yeah well, we'll see what you say in a month or so." She grins, moving around the truck and hauling herself into the cab. Andy joins her after a moment, patting the dash when the vehicle rumbles to life.

"Atta girl. Gotta stay with me until the end of the summer, at least."

Kate tilts her head. "What's wrong with the truck?"

"About 250,000 miles and twenty-five years of abuse," he chuckles. "But she'll hold together. She's tough."

Kate nods, allowing a half-completed thought to escape from her head. "I'll probably need to do some work on my bike while I'm up here, so if any of the issues with the truck are fixable, we could work on both at the same time. Maybe at the end of season?"

"Yeah, we could make that happen. What do you need to do to your murdercycle?"

He doesn't mean anything by it – she's heard the less-than-affectionate nickname for her bike many times before – but still she winces. Hard enough for Andy to take notice.

"Oh, honey. I'm so sorry. That was… a terrible choice of words."

She shakes her head. "No, no you're fine," she croaks. "Been a while since I've heard it, that's all; Mom used to call it that. Dad just calls it 'that damn thing.'"

Her friend's hand covers hers, his palm rough against her skin.

"Still, I'm so sorry."

"Thanks," she breathes, sliding her hand from under his and looking out the window. She'll be fine once she gets a handle on herself.

* * *

 _Hi, everyone! I'm sorry to have been so absent from posting this summer, but I hope this makes up for it. The story isn't too long, so I hope you'll come with me on the ride for this one! I'll include the prompt that inspired the story at the conclusion of the fic._


	2. Chapter 2

**Summer of Light - Chapter Two**

* * *

Just as Andy had mentioned, her roommate is another former camper and a five-time counselor, but Kristie doesn't come breezing into camp with the attitude of superiority that Kate had feared she might. When she arrives the next morning, they get off to a quiet, friendly start, and spend most of the day turning their cabin into a comfortable oasis before studying their camper rosters. Since she has more experience, Kristie has older campers – ten of them – between the ages of nine and twelve, while Kate's group is made up of eight children from six to eight years old. Four girls and four boys.

More than a few times as they get everything ready, Kate wonders why on earth she's chosen this over a semester in Kiev, but by ten AM on the first day of camp, she thinks she might have a handle on things.

And then her first camper arrives, and that confidence promptly flies out the window. The boy – Maxwell – looks unimpressed as she greets him and explains that they're going to hang out until everyone arrives, then they'll go to orientation.

He perks up a bit when another child arrives, but Kate can tell it's going to be an interesting session with him.

By the time three quarters of her campers arrive, she's questioning her sanity. Holy shit; they're loud, they're all over the place, and so far, immune to her methods to get their attention.

Plus, how can kids have _this_ much attitude already? They're _seven_ , for Pete's sake!

She's surrounded by her pack when a flash of red hair catches her eye. Glancing up, she finds herself face to face with a vibrant-eyed, timid-looking girl and the man she assumes to be the girl's father.

A man whose face she knows quite well.

Wait, no. This – there is _no_ way. She'd seen the name on her roster, had noted that it matched the one on the book she'd been reading before bed, and had only given the possibility that the two were related a brief thought. But she'd been wrong, she'd been so wrong.

"Are you Alexis?" she asks, managing to find her voice.

The girl nods, relaxing a tad, even as she looks back at her father.

"Uh huh. Alexis Castle. It's nice to meet you."

Kate shakes her outstretched hand, trying her best to put the girl at ease. "I'm Kate, I'm going to be your counselor. It's nice to meet you, too."

Alexis nods, looking to where her father hovers.

"It'll be okay, Dad," she tells him, squaring her shoulders. "This is Kate. She's my counselor."

He smiles, dropping the girl's bag before kneeling to catch his daughter in a tight hug.

"Are you sure, pumpkin?" Kate hears him murmur, though she tries not to listen in on their conversation. "I could stay a bit if you need me to – parents are allowed to stay for a bit, aren't they?"

It takes a moment for Kate to realize he's talking to her. "I–" she starts. "I, ah, yes. Yes, parents can stay for a little while on the first day." Technically they're allowed to stay until the end of check-in, though they rarely do. "Which is today," she adds, doing her best not to smack herself on the forehead at her stupidity.

Almost twenty-two years old and she's babbling like an idiot in front of a parent. Then again, he's not just any parent. He's… oh, he's speaking again, though not to her.

Kate watches his daughter bite her lip, no doubt unsure of herself in front of the other kids, and decides to jump in again – sounding far more articulate than the last time.

"I know you've already helped her unpack and make her bed in her cabin, but you're welcome to stay until everyone gets here and we head to orientation for the session."

"You're sure?" he asks, lifting hopeful – gorgeous – eyes to hers. Kate clears her throat, giving him a muted nod.

"Whatever helps make her comfortable," she explains after a beat. "We want everybody to have fun while they're here."

Alexis's father smiles. "Me too, though I have to admit, I may be more nervous than she is."

Kate just nods. She gets it; while he's the only one who's asked to stay, a few of the other parents have seemed reluctant to depart as well. She remembers her father lingering after dropping her off a few times when she was a kid, too.

"We're just waiting on one more," she says, doing a quick head count. "Then we'll get our summer started," she adds for the others, making sure to allow her smile to widen.

She gets mixed reactions from the kids; a few nods before they go back to their conversations, a couple of whines because – somehow – they're already bored. Only Alexis agrees verbally, looking up at her with bright eyes.

Kate offers her a soft smile. Richard Castle's daughter or not, she already likes this kid.

* * *

"Kate! Kate, come see this!"

She hasn't been away from her team for very long – just long enough to relieve herself and retrieve the agenda for the rest of the week – but still the girl who's become her favorite (though she won't tell anyone else that) camper still comes running like it's been hours.

"Whoa, easy. Easy, Alexis," she catches the redhead as she skids on the dirt and gravel path. "What do I need to see?"

Her charge beams, swiping a paint-covered hand through her hair. "Our mural! It's so awesome, Kate. Come see!"

Kate grins, allowing Alexis to pulls her along. Under the supervision of Camp Juniper's resident hippy-turned-art-teacher, she had left her campers with one of the other six to eight-year-old groups to work on painting the massive mural they'll display at the closing ceremony for the session. If Alexis's sunny attitude is any indication, they seem to have had fun.

"I bet it's great, Alexis," she murmurs, making eye contact with the other counselor. Jen barely has the time to smile in return before rushing over to break up the paint fight that's broken out between the boys. Kate tries to join her – a few of them are her campers, too – but Alexis shakes her head, pulling on Kate's arm again.

"No, you have to look!"

Alexis's arms splay wide, her face awash with pride, when they stop in front of the large canvas. "What do you think?"

Kate bites her lip, hiding a grin as Alexis bounces at her side.

"This is amazing, Alexis. You guys did great. I mean it."

The girl brightens. "Lauren and I did the details on the wings, and everywhere else. Daddy says the details are the most important part."

She's been careful not to give away that she recognized Alexis's father, but every time the girl has mentioned the man and his work, a small thrill has rolled through her.

"The details are an important part," she assures, "and you did beautifully." Her fingers tap the girl's head. "You all did," she adds when three more of her campers join them in admiring their handiwork.

The boys preen, showing her their paint-covered hands and clothes, insisting they'd done the majority of the work. Kate snickers, not believing that for a second.

"Looks like you painted yourselves more than the mural, goof balls."

They cackle, unashamed. "We had a paint fight after!"

"Yeah," she drawls. "I can tell. We'll wash up soon."

They whine. "Kate! We don't want to!"

Of course they don't. These two would happily roll in mud every afternoon if she gave them half a chance.

"Yeah well, you gotta, 'cause otherwise Mrs. Harrison will hose you down before she lets you leave." She winks. "Go on, help clean up and then we'll go."

She sends them back to the drop cloth to pick up the paint, turning to find Alexis watching her.

"Do you think everybody will like it?" the girl asks, a note of worry in her voice.

"I think they'll love it, Alexis," Kate swears. "Don't worry a bit. Your dad will be first in line to tell you that, too."

Alexis smiles, a shy, sweet little thing. "Thanks, Kate. You're so right; Daddy will love it."

Kate nods. "I know he will."

And frankly – inappropriately – that makes Richard Castle even more attractive to her.

Not that she should even think about him in those terms, because he's a camper's father. A famous, best-selling novelist and her camper's father. She's dealing with a silly, school-girl crush, and even that is nothing, buried each morning when it comes time to leave her cabin to collect her team for the day.

"Kate? Kate, are you listening to me?"

Glancing down, Kate finds Alexis staring back at her, a put-upon look on her face.

"Sorry, Alexis. Tell me again?"

"I asked what we're doing next," she huffs. "You've got to listen, Kate. Communication is about listening too, not just talking," she adds, reciting their team-building manual with practiced ease.

Accepting the reprimand and focusing on the present, Kate nods. "You're right. I'm sorry. I'm listening now. To answer your question, we're cleaning up this stuff, washing up, having a snack, and then going for a hike to a little pond."

Alexis brightens. "Is it a swimming hole? Do we get to swim, too? _Please_ , Kate, can we swim?"

She plays coy, swaying in her spot, rubbing her chin in mock-contemplation. "Maybe. Depends."

"On?" Alexis bounces. "Do we have to dance? Sing the camp song? I know all the words now!"

Kate winks. "You'll just have to wait and see. Help the others and then we'll be on our way."

The girl nods, scrambling back to her teammates. Kate hears her tell one of the other girls the news, which quickly spreads to the rest of the campers, too, leaving the entire team buzzing with anticipation.

Her campers cackle their way through a single-footed and hopping rendition of the camp song before they change into their bathing suits, and Kate's pleased to see their good spirits continue well into the hike to the swimming hole. She's even happier that everyone still seems to be getting along with one another. Next week they could be at each other's throats, so the harmony is much appreciated. She's especially delighted to see everyone coming out of their shells; camp did the same for her at their age.

Of course, one of the consequences of Alexis Castle feeling less shy is that she swims over and plunks herself down beside Kate at the edge of the swimming hole, asking her random questions as their feet dangle in the water.

"Michael says you're old," Alexis announces a few dozen questions in, stopping when Kate almost chokes on her own saliva. "I said you're not, but um, how old _are_ you?"

Unable to cover her surprise, Kate can only laugh. "I'm twenty-one; I'll be twenty-two in November."

"Oh," Alexis says, tilting her head. "I thought you were sixteen."

Chuckling again, Kate bumps the girl with her elbow. "You can't be sixteen and work here, silly."

Alexis nods. "But twenty-one's not super old. My Dad's still older than you."

Out of the mouths of babes. Covering her mouth with her hand, she nods. "Oh yeah? How old is he?"

Alexis stops to think. "He's twenty-nine. That's old, right?"

It is when you're seven. Though twenty-nine seems far away for her, too, so maybe she shouldn't tease about it. "Your dad's not _that_ old," she says, allowing herself to remember Rick Castle's clear, bright eyes, his hint of stubble, even the way he'd hustled to be at his daughter's side before he left. Yeah, he's definitely not old. "Just older than either of us."

Alexis giggles. "That's _true_. And he's like a big kid, we play _so_ much. He's great," she swears. "The greatest."

The trust and the innocence in Alexis's voice makes her heart ache a bit for her own father, for the simpler times, but she just smiles and nods.

"I bet he is."

Alexis nods, looking thoughtful for a moment. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

Kate barks a laugh, shaking her head. What a non-sequitur. "No, honey, I don't have a boyfriend."

"Me either," Alexis murmurs, wiggling her feet in the water – no doubt to keep warm. "But Michael likes me, I think."

She smiles, making a mental note to keep an eye on the two of them. Puppy love or not, she didn't want anyone's feelings to get hurt.

"You know," Alexis adds, glancing up at her, "my dad doesn't have a girlfriend… do you want to be his girlfriend?"

Kate coughs, blinking in surprise at the question. "I… do I–"

"Want to be his girlfriend," Alexis supplies, beaming. "He'd be a good boyfriend, I think."

Biting her lip, Kate searches for words to let her pint-size matchmaker down easily. "That's sweet of you, Alexis, but I don't think it would work out between us."

"Why not?" The girl frowns. "He's the smartest boy I know; he's nice, he's silly, he gives pretty flowers, and he likes really good movies."

"I believe you, Alexis. But I think being boyfriend and girlfriend is a big step, especially since your dad and I barely know each other."

"Oh," Alexis breathes. "But what if you got to know each other? Did you know he writes books?"

Kate smothers a laugh. That's one way to put it. "I did know that. His books are very good."

Alexis lights up. "See? That's something."

"You're right, it is something," Kate agrees. "I think it's a little more complicated than knowing a few facts about each other, but I appreciate the way you want your dad to be happy. It's very thoughtful."

The girl blushes, averting her eyes. "Thanks."

Kate rubs her back. "Why don't you go swim some more?" she suggests gently, attempting to steer the conversation away from a hypothetical relationship with Richard Castle by pointing to one of the other girls on the far side of the swimming hole. "I think Jessica would love to race you across the pond."

Alexis nods, waving to her friend. "Yeah, that'll be awesome! But um, one more question."

"Okay," she agrees, taking a deep breath and hoping she's not opening another can of worms in the process. "One more."

"Are you sad?" Alexis asks, lifting too-serious eyes to hers.

A denial springs to her lips, but here's something in the girl's eyes that stops it from slipping out. She doesn't want to lie to Alexis, but telling her the truth could be the wrong choice, too.

"A little bit," she confesses, compromising with her answer. "But I don't want you to worry about me, okay? I want you to have fun swimming. We can't stay too much longer, or it'll get too cold and we'll turn blue."

Alexis doesn't look convinced, and she doesn't move either. Instead she wiggles farther onto the bank beside Kate. "Did your friends not come? Because that happened to me. _Two_ of my friends were supposed to come with me, and they changed their minds. It made me sad."

Oh, that explains so much about the girl's reluctance the day she arrived. She'd been expecting to have the built-in companionship of her friends. Poor thing.

"No, my friends from school don't know I'm here. But I'm sorry your friends didn't come. We're having fun even though they're not here, right?"

Alexis nods. "Oh yeah! So much fun, Kate. They're going to be so jealous when they find out what they missed."

"Good." Kate pats her back. "Go on, go swim."

Finally, the girl sinks back into the water, giggling at the chill. She paddles in a semi-circle around Kate's legs, branching further out only to come back each time.

"You didn't tell me," she says on her third lap, looking up at Kate with wide eyes. "Why you're sad," she elaborates. "You didn't tell me."

Kate bites her lip. She'd been hoping the girl hadn't noticed, that her commiseration had been enough to distract her.

"It's a little bit personal," she says finally, not wanting to hurt Alexis's feelings. Getting into it wouldn't be good, though. For either of them. "And it's hard to talk about."

Alexis seems to get that. "That's okay, Kate. But my dad says I'm a good listener. So if you want to tell me later, I'll listen really hard, and I won't even talk unless you want me to."

"Maybe I will sometime," Kate murmurs, giving her an appreciative nod. "Thank you, Alexis."

The girl nods in return, swimming away to join Jessica for a race that quickly becomes a contest for the entire team, one Kate reluctantly wades into the frigid water to referee.

* * *

 _A/N: Thank you all so much for your awesome words - your enthusiasm makes me so happy. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!_


	3. Chapter 3

**Summer of Light - Chapter Three**

* * *

Two days later, she tells Alexis an abridged version of her mother's murder. She doesn't plan to, but while the rest of her campers chatter happily to one another around the fire, Alexis sits at her side with her marshmallow roasting stick (newly decorated thanks to a craft earlier in the day), looking content to watch the group, and the story begins to spill from her lips.

"Part of why I'm kind of sad," she starts, hoping she's not about to make a mistake in telling the little girl this, "is because my mom died two years ago, and since then it's been really hard to do stuff without her."

As soon as the words leave her mouth, she wishes she could take them back, or rephrase them somehow. Alexis looks stricken, her eyes widening in despair at Kate's situation.

"Kate, that's so sad. What happened to her? Did she get sick?"

Kate shakes her head. "She didn't get sick. She – I don't want to scare you. It's kind of grown up."

"Tell me," Alexis urges. "My dad writes crazy stuff; I hear him talking about it sometimes when he thinks I'm not listening. You won't scare me, I promise."

Kate hesitates again before nodding. "A bad man hurt her really badly and she didn't make it."

It comes as no surprise when she hears Alexis sniff – her own throat has tightened just thinking about it – and she kicks herself for putting her darkness on the girl's shoulders. She should have just made something up, or never opened her mouth to begin with; Alexis likely would've forgotten all about it if she hadn't. But it's done, and she just has to hope sharing something that personal doesn't come back to bite her in the ass.

Kate jumps when Alexis wraps her arms around her shoulders. She doesn't get hugs anymore, not very often anyway.

"I'm sorry, Kate."

She squeezes one thin arm. "Thank you, Alexis. Me too." The girl nods, leaning her head against Kate's quickly before retreating to her spot on the log. "My mom worked here at camp when she was just a little younger than I am now, and I came here a lot when I was little. So I decided to come back this summer because it made me feel closer to her."

And she does feel closer to Johanna here, farther from the tragedy of her mother's death. She feels her mom in the wind, among the trees, even in the crowded dining hall. For the first time in over two years, the chasm of her loss isn't quite so wide, so desolate.

"But sometimes it makes me sad, too," she continues, tugging at the rough skin on her lower lip with her teeth. "Because I'd love to tell her about you guys, and what we do every day, but I can't."

"Would she think it's cool?"

Kate nods, remembering how much her mother loved hearing about her camp escapades, especially the one year she had been a counselor before going away to school. "Oh yeah. She would think you guys are awesome."

"I think so, too," Alexis agrees. "I don't see my mom much," the girl adds after a moment. "But it's because she lives in California. She and my dad are divorced and she doesn't visit me a lot."

"I'm sorry," Kate murmurs, both touched that Alexis is trying to connect with her and saddened that she has a similar, albeit less tragic, story. "You must miss her. Will you see her this summer?"

Alexis nods. "She's shooting a movie or something right now. But she'll come visit before school starts again, I think."

Kate offers her a small smile. "I bet you'll have fun."

Alexis lifts a shoulder, looking down at her hands. "Hopefully she'll really come. Last time she didn't until it was really late, and then she couldn't stay because she had an audition in LA. So we just talked for a little bit and she left again."

"Oh, that sounds disappointing. Especially when you were looking forward to a longer visit."

Alexis nods. "But Daddy gave me an extra scoop of ice cream and a super big hug, and that helped a lot. Oh! Would that help you? My dad gives _great_ hugs."

Kate's grateful that the glow of the campfire hides the flush of her cheeks. Hugging Richard Castle under certain circumstances would be… well, she's sure it would be more than nice, but a sympathy hug at his daughter's behest would just be humiliating.

"I believe you, but your dad doesn't have to do that."

Alexis considers it. "I'll ask him, just to see what he says."

Oh God, that's almost worse; all Kate can hope is that the girl will forget between now and the next time she pens her father a letter or a postcard.

"That's very nice of you, Alexis," she manages, hoping her voice sounds steady. "Thank you."

Her young friend beams, giving her an eager nod. "You're welcome, Kate. What about ice cream?"

Kate smiles, grateful to move away from the subject of hugging the girl's father.

"I think Mr. Andy would be okay giving you more ice cream," Alexis continues, looking back toward the picnic tables. "Oh," she slumps, "he put it up already. Want another s'more instead?"

The little girl doesn't wait for an answer. Instead, Alexis darts away, bounding to re-marshmallow both of their sticks. Kate worries her lip between her teeth; she shouldn't have told Alexis any of that, but she would be lying if she said she doesn't feel better having shared with someone whose response wasn't pitying or apathetic.

"Here!" Alexis announces, plopping beside Kate once more. "This is kind of like getting an extra scoop, right?"

God, this kid's thoughtfulness is going to kill her. She gives her a gentle smile and a nod, slipping the stick from Alexis's grasp.

"You're right," she murmurs, lowering her marshmallow to the fire. "It's definitely like getting an extra scoop."

* * *

There's a stack of mail waiting for him when he finally makes his way into his hotel suite. Normally when he's on a book tour, he doesn't bother asking to have his mail forwarded, relying instead on his doorman to send him anything that looks urgent and leave the rest for him at home. But with Alexis at camp, letters are their main – except for in an emergency – method of communication, so he's made an exception and asked Eduardo to send it all every few days. It's kind of nice, having some small piece of home while he's away, even though most of what he receives is junk.

The letters and postcards from his daughter, though? He lives for those. She's sent something every other day since he dropped her off, the first letter having been written the first night after lights out, just to let him know what's happening at Camp Juniper. At first, he'd been concerned about how quickly she'd written, but with every subsequent letter, it becomes clear that she's having the time of her life and the frequency of communication is likely for his benefit, not necessarily hers.

No matter the motivation, he enjoys the opportunity to kick off his shoes, pour himself a nightcap, and experience her world. Today's batch of letters detail days of painting and hiking, swimming and sitting around a campfire telling stories, even playing soccer with her team. They're like her other updates, with one exception: the final paragraph of the last letter is dedicated almost completely to telling him about everyone she's met at camp, about the boys who act silly, and the girls she considers to be her new best friends, including her counselor, the young woman with the soft smile and the too-serious deep hazel eyes. _Kate_.

His heart softens as Alexis describes how nice and funny Kate is, how she always makes sure everyone on the team is okay and having fun, even going as far as to tell him how old the woman is (a little too young for him, he notes, no matter how admirable she is, or how many hints his daughter drops about how much he would _like_ her). When his daughter's letter turns somber, he frowns, but continues reading to find his little girl making a case for why one of his (self-proclaimed) world-famous hugs is in order. Not for herself, she insists she's okay, but for Kate Beckett. Alexis tells him she can see that Kate is sad, and since his hugs always manage to cheer her up, she wants to give her counselor that opportunity as well.

He exhales, reading the final line a few times to be sure he has it right, that it's a genuine request and not his daughter trying to set him up with someone she admires.

 _I really,_ really, _think she needs one, Daddy._

* * *

Maybe it's because she's the one in charge, or maybe it's just because she's having fun, but the remaining few weeks of the camp session seem to fly by. Since the night she told Alexis about her mom, the little girl has gone out of her way to be nice, stepping up as team helper – deposing one of the boys from the role, no less – and taking charge in a way Kate never would've expected from her when they first met.

Still, as the end of the session looms, Alexis grows quiet again, eager to follow the lead Kate sets, sticking close to her friends at meals, and making sure to squeeze onto the log between Kate and Jessica at their final team campfire.

"Who's excited for tomorrow?" Kate asks, glancing around. A few heads bob eagerly, and the circle erupts with talk of getting back to their prized Pokémon collections. She sees a couple of shrugs from the kids who'll be staying for the second session as well. Only Alexis seems troubled by the thought of the session ending.

"Your dad's going to love all the artwork you've done," she murmurs, attempting to reassure the girl. "And think of how much other stuff you have to show him. Your knot-tying? And how good you are at identifying plants now?"

"What about you?" Alexis blurts, her fair cheeks turning pink, even in the firelight.

Kate smiles softly. "I'll be okay, Alexis. I'll miss everybody," she adds, giving all of her campers a fond look. "But I'm happy we had the last few weeks."

She's a bit surprised to find that she means it wholeheartedly. Seven and eight-year-olds are ridiculous at times, but so much of the weight that had been on her chest when she arrived has dissipated, leaving her feeling grounded for the first time in too long.

Alexis hunches her shoulders, but nods. Clearly whatever's on her mind isn't ready to escape, so instead Kate asks her to start them off in saying her favorite thing from camp. The girl's answer is simple – campfires and s'mores – and Kate nods in agreement.

"Those are both great choices. I also like swimming in the lake," she says, looking around the circle.

One of the other girls echoes Alexis's favorites, while two of the boys announce archery and hiking were theirs. Everyone giggles when Michael declares the paint fight his favorite. Soon, the melancholy seems to have evaporated for the redhead at her side.

No matter how ready the others are to get out of there, saying goodbye the next day is still tough. Even her more stoic campers give her hugs (and a few hard high fives) after the program before they retreat to their cabins with their parents to retrieve their luggage. She's not surprised when Alexis darts to her father and disappears, but she does blink when both Castles return after a few minutes, plunking down with her and the contingent that's staying the entire summer.

"Hi," Alexis breathes, grinning at Kate before looking back at her father. He returns the smile, but Kate notices it doesn't quiet reach his eyes. Not that she's watching his eyes… or his mouth.

"Hey you," Kate greets anyway, forcing herself to look anywhere else. "Where are your bags? You aren't ready to go home yet?"

Alexis shakes her head. "I'm not going home!" she announces, gleeful.

"You're not?" Kate gawks, allowing her gaze to shift to the girl's father. He gives her a short nod, gesturing behind him.

"Can I borrow you for just a second?"

"I, um sure. Just let me–" She glances around, nodding to Kristie and gesturing for her to watch the kids while she follows Castle. Her roommate nods, wiggling her eyebrows and smirking – much to Kate's chagrin. As cool as she has played it around Alexis, Kristie has seen her reading Richard Castle's books often, and she has happily given Kate good-natured hell about a possible crush on her camper's father.

Thankfully, she's able to shake off Kristie's teases before Alexis's father turns to face her.

"As I'm sure you've noticed, my daughter has had a blast these last few weeks," he starts, quirking a smile when she chuckles. "So much so that she has asked to stay for the second session."

"Oh! Well, we'd love to have her, but I'm not sure about enrollment, and I don't want to get her hopes–" she stops at his casual wave.

"Taken care of," he says. "She's already paid up and her things have been unpacked in her new cabin. I just wanted explain what the heck was going on."

Kate snorts. "Yeah, thank you for that. I would've been more than a little confused to watch you leave without her."

She draws her lip between her teeth at his chuckle. Okay, yes, she does have a small – tiny, infinitesimal – crush. And that is not professional, not at all. But hearing him laugh is… it's just unfair how sexy it is.

"Yeah, probably." He lifts a shoulder. "Since she's going to stay, I was wondering if it was okay for me to hang around for a few minutes? Mentally prepare myself for another month without her?"

"Oh, sure. Sure. Today's basically a free day – we'll do some swimming in the lake, have lunch, relax, maybe watch a movie after dinner. Easy and quiet before the session starts tomorrow." She's rambling, but there's nothing she can do to stop it. It's his fault for looking so earnest and interested; she would be able to shut up if not for him.

"That sounds great. I won't stay long, I promise; I have to keep my title of cool dad, after all."

Kate laughs, feeling her cheeks heat when the corners of his eyes crinkle.

"That's true." She glances back at the group, finding Alexis watching the two of them with marked interest. "I should probably…"

"Right, right. One more thing," he adds, stopping her with a gentle touch to her arm. "Will she… she can call me, right? She's been sending me letters this whole time, but if she wants to, can she call just to say hi?"

Kate nods. "Of course. There's a phone in the main office, and she knows all she has to do is ask and she'll be able to use it. Day or night. We'll still encourage the letters, because those are fun, but she can use the phone."

He relaxes at that. "Thank you. And I'm sorry to surprise you with this–"

"No," Kate interrupts, waving him off. "I get it; I used to spring things like this on my dad all the time. Come to think of it, that might be why he started going gray early," she muses, grinning when he chuckles. "It's nice to see that you care."

This time, it's his cheeks that turn pink. Oh, complimenting his parenting flusters him; that's cute, that's really cute.

"Thanks," he says, coming just shy of scuffing his foot. "I should let you get back."

Kate nods, but doesn't move as she remembers something else Alexis had said. "Before we do, and forgive me if this is too personal, but what about Alexis's visit with her mom? I don't mean to pry, but she mentioned it a little while ago, and I…"

Just for a moment, Richard Castle's face blanks in astonishment. He covers it quickly, but she has clearly stunned him with the question.

"Ah," he says finally. "Plans with her mom changed last week. They'll see each other a bit later than we were expecting."

It's not her place to ask, not really, but he doesn't seem to be offended by her prying.

"Gotcha. Sorry, I know that was a personal question. And none of my business at all."

He shakes his head. "No, you're fine. You've actually given me another reason to be reassured about her staying for the next few weeks."

Kate lowers her chin, offering him another smile. "That's good. In that case, shall we?"

"Absolutely," he says, his step lighter as he returns to his daughter's side.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summer of Light - Chapter Four**

* * *

The first two and a half weeks of the second session go by without major incident. Their days are packed with fun, silliness, and the occasional bout of bickering on the team, but she can't complain. Her campers are a little more outspoken than the first batch, a little crazier, and they keep her on her toes, even after lights out. More than once, she's had to leave her cabin at night to knock on doors and remind her kids to settle down.

As the third week of the session comes to an end, though, it's her cabin door that's being knocked on in the middle of the night, instead of the other way around.

Across the room, Kristie groans. "What the hell?"

"I'll get it," Kate murmurs, pushing off her bed and moving to the door, hoping she isn't weaving across the floor. She'd only been asleep for a couple of hours; no doubt she's still a bit sleep-drunk.

"Kate?"

Oh, she knows that voice. Swinging the door open wide reveals her panicked camper. Clad in just her PJs – no robe, no slippers, nothing – Alexis launches herself at Kate, sniffling into her shirt.

"Whoa, whoa, hey. Alexis, what's wrong?"

"Iwannagohome," the girl sobs. "I miss my Dad."

Oh God, she'd been afraid of this. The boys had handled their homesickness early on with surly attitudes and sniping until they felt better, but Alexis has been so bubbly since the second session started, so seemingly unaffected by the fact that she hasn't seen her home in over six weeks.

"I miss my dad," Alexis repeats, squeezing Kate so tightly it steals her breath.

"I know, sweetheart. I know you do," Kate murmurs, finally finding her voice. Her fingers brush Alexis's wild hair. "But you'll see him soon, and if you go home now, you'll miss the cookout, and our ghost story night, and all of the great things we still have to do."

"But I miss him."

"Why don't we call him? she suggests, hearing Kristie shift in her bunk behind her. "We'll go to the office and use the phone in there."

"Andy's asleep," Kristie calls, her voice muffled by her pillow.

She doesn't doubt that, but the point is that someone is in the office at all hours of the day and night, even if it means waking the person on the night shift.

"M'sorry I woke you up," Alexis whispers, sounding so heartbroken Kate holds her tighter. "I don't want to wake up anybody else."

"We'll use my phone," Kate decides. "Stay here and I'll get it. Do you know your dad's phone number by heart?" She has an emergency number in her binder, but if Alexis knows it, that'll be faster than looking through the file.

Alexis nods, stepping back while Kate retreats into the cabin. "I know both, promise."

"Okay," she exhales, curling her fingers around her phone. She snags her hoodie and a sweater from the foot of her bed, intending to give one to Alexis. She's not allowed to have a camper in her cabin, and she doesn't want the girl to freeze while they're sitting outside.

She drapes the sweater around her charge's shoulders first thing, rubbing soothing circles on Alexis's back as they sit on the cabin steps.

"I'm sorry," Alexis whispers, her eyes downcast, but Kate just shakes her head. She'll down an extra cup of coffee and deal with her sleepiness in the morning; taking care of her camper comes first.

"Don't be sorry, Alexis. Can you tell me what happened? Did you have a nightmare?"

Alexis shrugs. "I just woke up and I was sad."

"But nothing hurts, and you don't need a doctor, right?"

The little girl nods. "Just sad. I want my daddy, Kate."

"I know, Alexis. I know," she says, powering up her phone and checking the signal strength. Not great, but not terrible. It should work well enough to make the call. "Here, you can dial and talk to him first, so he'll know you're not hurt or sick."

"Okay," Alexis agrees, taking the phone from her hand and dialing with sure fingers.

Whatever Rick Castle says has Alexis's shoulders relaxing almost instantly. She sags against Kate's side, telling him everything that's on her mind until it seems like she's talked out. After that, she just listens, answering questions occasionally before she exhales.

"I love you too, Daddy. I'll see you soon."

To Kate's surprise, Alexis doesn't hang up. Instead, she hands Kate the phone.

"He wants to talk to you," Alexis murmurs.

"Hello?" Kate asks, wary. She'd facilitated waking the man at two AM; she wouldn't blame him if he's annoyed.

"Hi Kate," he greets her, sounding remarkably pleasant for the hour. There's a sleepy catch to his voice, but he doesn't seem angry. "Thank you for this. I appreciate you sitting up with her."

"Of course, of course. I'd hate for her to be upset and alone."

She's well acquainted with how that feels; she wouldn't do that to Alexis.

"Still, thank you. You could've dropped her off in the front office and gone back to bed; this is above and beyond."

"It's nothing, I promise."

He hums in her ear. "I think she's decided to stay, but if she changes her mind come morning, will you call me?"

"Yeah – yes. Yes, I will. We'll call if we need anything. Or if she just wants to talk."

"Thank you." He yawns, chuckling a moment later. "Sorry."

"That's okay," she murmurs, squeezing Alexis to remind herself why she's on the phone with Richard Castle in the middle of the night; it's not to listen to his bedroom voice. "But I will let you go. Have a good night, Mr. Castle."

She can hear a trace of a smile in his voice when he replies, "You, too."

Her phone beeps a second later, signaling the end of the call.

"Thank you," Alexis whispers. "I'm not going home. Daddy and I talked about it and I'm going to stay."

"Anytime, Alexis. I'm glad you're staying. We'll make sure the next couple of weeks are so fun, they fly by."

The girl nods. "'Kay."

"But first," Kate continues, rubbing her back, "it's time to head to bed. C'mon, I'll walk you back."

Alexis is slow to get up, but she complies. Kate can tell that sleep is starting to tug at her by the time they reach her cabin, given the way she trudges up the steps.

"Night, Kate," she mumbles, offering a half-hearted wave.

"Night, kid," Kate murmurs in return, waiting to leave until Alexis disappears into the building.

She makes her way back to her cabin, whispering a thank you to Kristie for being understanding, only to receive a light snore in response. Kate grins, toeing off her shoes and dropping onto her bed, burrowing beneath her covers once more.

She falls asleep with the echo of Richard Castle's sleepy chuckle in her ear.

* * *

He knows he shouldn't be concerned, that he should assume everything is fine since he hasn't heard from Kate or Alexis, but nevertheless worry coats his guts the next morning when his phone doesn't ring.

Getting that phone call had been exactly what he'd feared would happen the entire summer, and it had been counter to his every instinct to refrain from rolling out of bed and getting in his car. But he'd known Alexis hadn't really wanted to come home. She'd just needed to hear his voice, to be reassured that everything was fine.

But even knowing that, even knowing she's in fantastic hands with Kate, he still wants proof that his little girl is okay now that the sun has come up. So as soon as he's showered and dressed, he grabs his phone and brings up his incoming call log, hovering over the most recent number.

A frown forms on his lips when the call goes to voicemail immediately, but Rick remembers how dodgy signal is at the camp; it's possible the phone's in a dead zone, or that Kate turns her phone off after a certain time to preserve battery. Either way, he's a man on a mission now, and one unanswered phone call isn't going to stop him.

He calls the main office for Camp Juniper, tapping his fingers against his desk until the sweet woman who'd taken his payment and made sure Alexis could stay on for the second session answers the phone.

"Hi Margie, it's Rick Castle," he says, careful to keep his voice warm and relaxed. "How are you this morning?" He listens to her describe what a beautiful day it is so far, and how wonderful things are going at the camp. "I'm so glad to hear that. It's sweltering in the city."

Margie laughs. "I can imagine. I can't say I'm jealous, though. What can I do for you today, Mr. Castle?"

He likes this woman. She knows how to get down to business. "Well, I hope it's not too much trouble, but would it be possible to talk to Alexis's counselor?"

There's surprised silence on the other end, but Margie recovers quickly. "Kate? Sure, honey. I'll send someone to grab her. They should be eating breakfast right now. Is there something wrong?"

Rick rubs the back of his neck. He isn't sure of the policy for reporting non-emergency calls home, and he doesn't want to get Kate in trouble if she was supposed to have told the office about last night. "Oh, no. No, I just wanted to check in with her – see how Alexis is doing today. My daughter sends me letters, but I wanted to check in anyway. Without Alexis knowing how much I'm hovering."

When she speaks next, Margie's voice is soft with understanding and a little amusement. "You got it. I just sent someone to retrieve Kate from the chow hall. She'll be here in a few minutes."

They make small talk while he waits, discussing the weather again, the likelihood of an early fall, even the history of the camp. It manages to put him so at ease, he barely notices the time it takes for Kate to make it to the office. Finally, Margie announces her arrival, bidding him a fond farewell before handing the phone to Alexis's counselor.

Just like last night, Kate sounds concerned when she says hello, as if she's expecting the worst from the conversation.

"Hi Kate, it's Rick Castle."

"Mr. Castle! Hi," she repeats. "Did you want me to bring Alexis too? I can go back and get her–"

"No, no," he cuts her off. "I just wanted to check with you, see how she is this morning. After last night, I mean. I tried calling your cell, but it went to voicemail."

"Oh no. I'm so sorry," Kate says quickly. "I keep it off and in my cabin during the day. I should've told you when we talked last night," she adds, her voice lowering. It's as good of a confirmation as any that she had likely broken protocol by calling from her personal number, he's even more impressed with her for taking care of his kid that way. "To answer your question, though, she's doing great. I'm keeping an eye on her, of course, but she was first one out of her cabin this morning and she's had a smile on her face the whole time."

Relief surges in his chest, forcing him back against his chair. "She is? Okay, that's good. That's all I needed to know."

"I promise you, I would've called the second I noticed otherwise," Kate murmurs. He pictures her pushing a strand of her hair behind her ear, taking a moment to gather her thoughts. "If you'd like, I can arrange for her to talk to you later this evening."

He doesn't – well, yes, he wants to do that, but not if it'll keep Alexis from another activity.

"That's not necessary," Rick says, mentally patting himself on the back for how sure he sounds. "If she's still happy and having fun, that's all that matters to me."

"It would be closer to lights out, if that changes your mind," Kate offers.

"Oh, well in that case, please. I'd like that."

"Perfect," she answers. "I should get back to the team, but is there anything else I can do to help before I go?"

"Ah, no," he says. "No, thank you. This was exactly what I needed to hear."

"I'm glad," Kate hums over the scrape of chair legs against the floor. "I'm sorry to have worried you before."

Rick waves off the apology. "You had no way of knowing I would be 'that' dad this morning."

She chuckles. "You're fine. We mean it when we say you can call anytime. Have a good day, Mr. Castle."

He echoes the sentiment, releasing a slow breath when she hangs up. His daughter is right: Kate Beckett has a gift for making people feel better. With a short conversation and a few soft assurances from her, his worry has dissipated, leaving him confident once more in his decision to allow Alexis to stay at Camp Juniper until the end of the session.

Yeah, Kate Beckett is magic.

* * *

The final day of camp had been a big deal for the first session, but it's even more of a spectacle for the second group. Leaving Camp Juniper marks the end of summer for the most part (give or take a week maybe), so the kids are all buzzing for the festivities. Even Alexis.

Thankfully, the program goes off without a hitch; all camp songs are sung with gusto, and the parents seem to enjoy the opportunity to play and rekindle some summer innocence of their own with the announcement of "field day." Nobody more so than Alexis's father; he jumps in with both feet the moment he's given his role in the games, clasping his hands and bouncing.

He and Alexis dominate the rowing race, and he nearly tips the boat with his enthusiastic celebration, sending half of the spectators into hysterics.

When the water balloon toss devolves into a full-blown water balloon fight, Kate can only laugh at the perpetrator. And when she's pelted with an errant balloon, she's almost able to glare at him without laughter flirting at her lips. Almost.

He just smirks, lifting his shoulders.

"Sorry, got away from me."

Yeah, and she's the queen. She gets him back in the end, though.

Her campers – and their parents – take home the win for the final event, and she watches them accept their medals with pride. As exhausted as she is, this is a good way to end the summer. She'll have these memories to look back on during the hard days, the days when there's just a little too much darkness in her life.

"Kate!"

She blinks, clearing the fog of contemplation from her mind. Alexis beams from all of feet away, holding out a medal in the space between them.

"Come get yours!"

"Mine?" she asks. "I didn't do anything, though."

The girl shakes her head. "You're our counselor. You get one!"

A soft smile touches her lips as she nods, bending to give Alexis easier access to drape the medal around her neck.

"There. Perfect."

"Perfect," Kate echoes, pressing the trinket against her chest, feeling the rounded edge through her camp shirt.

Alexis bounces. "What now?"

"Now we have the closing ceremony for the games, then we'll say goodbye as a team, and it'll be time for you guys to head home after that."

The redhead gawks. "Already? But today's not over!"

A large hand curls around Alexis's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Hey, we're not leaving yet, pumpkin," he says, dipping to peck his daughter's hair. Alexis backs down, nodding in acceptance.

Kate offers Rick Castle a grateful smile; the last thing she wants is for the day to end on a sour note for the girl who wears her heart on her sleeve.

"Your dad's right, Alexis. Plus, I still have to give you guys something."

That perks her right up – exactly as Kate had hoped. "Like a present?"

Kate nods, hiding a grin. "Uh huh."

Last week while her group worked on the mural and went to rowing with two other teams, she'd taken her bike into town and picked up a few small things to add to their Camp Juniper swag bags. The gifts aren't much, but she hopes they'll like them.

"What is it?"

She laughs, shaking her head. "You'll just have to wait and see. Come on, let's go stand with the others."

Alexis nods, taking off to be with the rest of her teammates.

"You too, Mr. Castle," Kate says, tilting her head toward the group, allowing a smile to touch her lips at his elation. He shouldn't be this cute.

"Lead the way," he rumbles, motioning for her to walk ahead of him.

Saying goodbye at the end of the previous session had been difficult, but it's extra bittersweet this time. Her campers have kept her on her toes all summer, and as much as she's ready to have quiet and time to relax as an adult, she's also sad to see them go. They're all good kids, even the needy ones, even the snotty and annoying ones.

Of course, it comes as no surprise that Alexis is the last to leave. The girl has been hanging at the outskirts of the crowd since Kate handed out their bags, but finally she steps up, winding thin arms around Kate's waist.

"I'm gonna miss you," Alexis whispers, tightening her grip when Kate's arms encircle her shoulders.

"I'm going to miss you too," Kate assures, knowing it's the truth instead of a pleasantry. "I'm proud of you, you know. You did so well this summer."

Alexis ducks her head, her cheeks reddening. "Thanks."

Kate smiles, squeezing her. "You better tell your dad all about it on the way home; he looks like he's ready to burst."

"Yeah," Alexis giggles. "He's already asked so many questions."

"I bet. He's waited _all_ summer to talk about it with you."

"What about your Dad? Is he coming to get you, too?"

Thinking of her father back in New York, Kate shakes her head. "No, he's staying at home. The counselors stay and clean up," she explains, "but I'll be going home in the next few days."

"Are you going to be sad being here without kids?"

"I'll be okay," she assures. "I had so much fun, it's hard to be sad after all this. It'll just be different, quieter."

Alexis nods after a moment, squeezing her again. "If you're sure."

"I am," she murmurs, trying not to think too hard about returning to the real world and everything she's been carefully distancing herself from these last couple of months. "Have a great rest of your summer, okay?"

"'Kay," the girl breathes, pulling away. "Bye, Kate!"

"Bye," she calls, mustering a smile for both Castles. "Be safe getting home."

The elder Castle nods, lifting a hand in farewell, hefting his daughter's bag onto his shoulder as they turn to leave. They only make it a few strides, however, before Alexis skids to a stop.

"Wait, wait," she says, looking up at her father, beseeching. "Remember, Dad? We talked about it earlier?"

Rick Castle's brow furrows. "Alexis, I'm not sure that's–"

" _Please_ ," Alexis stresses, glancing in Kate's direction. "And the other thing, too."

Kate shifts under their scrutiny, pushing her hair behind her ear.

"Okay, okay, I'll ask her. But I make no promises," Castle relents, tapping his daughter on the head. "Stay put."

Kate watches Alexis grin and bounce as Rick Castle turns around and closes the distance between them.

"Forget something?" she asks, feigning nonchalance. She has no idea what Alexis had been plotting, and she's not sure she wants to know either.

Alexis's father chuckles. "Kind of. This is going to sound weird, I know, but my daughter mentioned to me a little while ago that you seemed sad, and that you could benefit from one of my really amazing hugs…"

Mortification floods her veins, staining her cheeks. She makes every attempt to force it down, to recover gracefully, but she knows she fails.

"That's ah, that's very sweet, but unnecessary. Thank you, though." Seriously, the ground needs to swallow her right now.

Rick nods, his smile easy and unoffended. "Of course; I told her it's a little different than giving her one to cheer her up, but she wanted me to offer anyway." He holds out a hand, clasping her fingers when she reciprocates. "Thank you for taking care of Alexis the way you did."

"She's a good kid. Made it easy."

He beams. "Yeah, she does that, even for me. But still, you made this camp experience so much more fun than she was expecting it to be after her friends bailed on her. So, thank you."

Her cheeks color again, but she just nods, holding his eyes. Her mom would lose it if she were here; being this close to Rick Castle, shaking his hand–

"I better go," he says finally, reminding her where they are and how ridiculous they must look standing around long after a natural handshake would've ended.

Yeah, she's going to need to fall into the lake. Immediately.

"Right, right." Dropping his hand, she steps back. "I'm sorry."

Rick smiles, somehow managing to put her at ease, despite her embarrassment. "One last thing, though. Alexis also mentioned that you've read my books–"

Kate cuts her eyes to the girl in question, noting how she has steadily moved closer. Et tu, Alexis? Spilling all the camp secrets?

"So, I thought you'd enjoy this," he finishes, holding out something he must have retrieved from his car while she was leading the final bit of team time. How had she not seen him carrying that?

Kate blinks, staring down at the glossy cover. " _A Skull at Springtime_ ," she reads, feeling her breath stutter.

He nods. "It's a little bit older and I'm sure you've read it already, but–"

"Thank you," she interrupts, taking the book and holding it to her chest. "I have read it – it's actually one of my favorites – but it was a casualty in a move." More like a casualty of her father's clumsy elbow and a bottle of bourbon, but she won't tell him that.

Rick grins, dispelling the melancholy before it can settle on her shoulders. "Great! Great."

She returns the smile easily. "Yeah. Thank you for this, Mr. Castle, it means a lot."

"Rick, please. And you're very welcome."

Kate nods, resting her chin on the book. "Drive safe, Rick," she says, tilting her head. "And have a good summer – what's left of it, anyway."

His eyes crinkle with his grin. "You too, Kate."

She drags her teeth over her lower lip, watching Rick and Alexis Castle walk away, waiting until they disappear toward the parking lot to turn around and start the cleaning efforts. She'll wait until later to figure out what to do with her newfound free time.

If she were at home, she might run a bath and pour herself a glass of wine, but she settles for heading back to her cabin after dinner while the other counselors adjourn to the fire pit. Her shower is short, but hot, and once she's dressed again, she pops the cork on the bottle of wine she had picked up on her trip into town and fills the plastic cup she'd brought from the chow hall, flopping back against her pillow with her new book on her knees, her phone in her hand.

She doesn't have much to check on the phone; a few voicemails from her father at various degrees of sobriety and a text message or two from a friend from school – all of which go unanswered for the time being. She turns the phone off once she makes sure there's nothing urgent for her to deal with, dropping it onto the blanket.

With that out of the way, she lifts the book, tracing her fingers over the title, moving across the letters of Castle's name before she opens the cover. The paragraph she finds on the cover page is a surprise; he hasn't just signed it or offered a perfunctory 'thanks for reading' message, he's written her a letter. Given her the gift of his thoughts.

And, she realizes with a stunned laugh, an invitation to his book release party in November, just days after her birthday. She might just have to go.

"Well, Rick," she murmurs to the empty room, savoring the way his name feels on her lips. "Since you're offering and all, I guess I'll see you in November."

She takes a deep breath before turning the page and allowing her eyes to drift across the opening line of the story. In a few days, she'll pack her things and make her way back home on her bike, going back to the real world. But for now, she has a better handle on her life, the happy memories of her mother, a summer full of laughter and light, and a good book to read.

* * *

 _Thank you all for reading and for sharing your kind words with me. I haven't been able to reply individually (I will try to!), but please, please know I appreciate you all so very much. Only the epilogue to go!_


	5. Chapter 5

**Summer of Light - Epilogue**

* * *

Of all the times for a coffee line to take forever, it just has to be a day when she's ready to drop where she stands.

She really should have gone home right after her shift, but the call of a cup of coffee that doesn't taste like radioactive river sludge was just too great to ignore. Thus, her decision to bypass her usual subway entrance and join the longest line in Starbucks history at five in the evening. At this point, she's just hoping maybe someone ahead of her will get fed up and leave, giving her a chance to get closer to the front before the body drop she'd been called to at four AM completely catches up to her.

A devious part of her wishes she hadn't changed out of her uniform already, but she knows even if she had still been wearing her work clothes, she wouldn't have abused her power that way. Being able to move to the front of a coffee line isn't why she became a cop.

So instead she waits, allowing her eyes to drift around the room, surveying rest of the harangued crowd before scanning the people seated along the walls. Some patrons are deep in thought with headphones on, some are bent over computer screens or notebooks, some are conversing with their companions.

And some are watching her, their blue eyes wide with recognition, even though it's been almost four years – just months after Kate had been the girl's camp counselor – since they've seen each other. Since Alexis had spotted her sneaking out of Rick's bedroom the morning after his book party.

She hadn't gone to the party intending to go home with the man, but as the night went on, and their mutual flirting had ratcheted higher and higher, she'd agreed wholeheartedly when he asked her to get out of there with him. But when she'd awoken in Rick's bed, she hadn't been able to entertain the idea of staying any longer than it took for her to get dressed. He had called her later that day, leaving a message that was far too formal for someone who had pressed her into a mattress and made her moan his name, but when she hadn't returned the call, he hadn't tried again.

God, she'd been such a mess then; overwhelmed again by the ache of her mother's murder, drowning in her father's grief, her sights set on entering the police academy after graduation but otherwise drifting aimless. Totally wrong for him. For them.

She'd even opted out of going back to Camp Juniper on the off chance that the Castles might return as well, using the months between commencement and starting at the academy to take the trip abroad that she'd decided against the previous year.

Now here they are, staring at each other from across a coffee shop.

Kate breaks first, lowering her head and taking a deep breath to calm the rapid-fire thunder of her heart. She's an adult; she can be in the same room with Rick Castle and his daughter, no matter how badly she'd disappointed or confused them both back then.

There's a flash of red in her peripheral vision, and her breath catches when she glances up to find Alexis at her elbow. The girl is taller now, coming up almost to her shoulder, and Kate notes her face has lost some of the childhood roundness she remembers. But her eyes are the same, her smile just as soft and sweet, with that touch of timidity that had made Kate want to shelter her when she was her counselor.

"Hi," Kate breathes, swallowing hard. "Alexis, hi."

The girl's hesitance melts away. "You remember! Hi, Kate. Do you want to sit with us after you get your coffee?"

"I," she stumbles. "Is that okay with your dad?"

Alexis nods, her eyes brightening at the mention of her father. "He wasn't sure you'd say yes. That's why I'm asking."

Because Kate could never say no to her when she was Alexis's counselor, and they both know it.

"Sure," she says, releasing a breath. "If you guys don't mind."

"Great!" Alexis beams, taking Kate's satchel from her shoulder. "I'll take this to the table so you don't have to hold onto it. It looks heavy."

"Oh! You don't–" Alexis ignores her, already moving back to her table. "Have to," Kate finishes, to her back. Her cheeks flame when she meets Rick's amused smile. Yeah, he knows how it feels to be railroaded by his daughter.

He's still watching her when she finally makes it up to the front to order her coffee, and she sees him stand as she steps to the side to wait for her drink. Her heart stammers, but she lifts her chin instead of ducking and hiding, offering him a smile.

"Hi."

"Hi," he echoes, dodging the large group that had been holding up the line as they take their coffee and leave. "It's uh, been a long time, hasn't it?"

There's no rebuke in his voice, no bitterness, only delight.

"Yeah, it has," she says, drawing her lip between her teeth. "I'm–" she breaks off, unsure if now is really the time to apologize for ducking out after having sex with him. "It's good to see you."

Rick puffs up a bit. "It's good to see you, too, Kate."

"How've you been?" she asks, glancing over his shoulder to find Alexis watching them, her eyes wide and so hopeful it's startling. Is she – is her former camper playing matchmaker again?

Rick looks over, snorting at his daughter's attempts to look away and act casual. "I can't complain. What about you?"

"I've," Kate hesitates, thinking about the last few years, the difficult days and the hard work. "I've been okay."

Her companion eyes her, only glancing away when the barista calls her name and holds out her latte. Kate thanks the kid, digging in her pocket for an extra dollar and change to add to the tip jar.

"You're sure you don't mind if I join you?" she asks, nodding in Alexis's direction.

"Positive. We'd be insulted if you didn't." Rick looks like he wants to say something else, something more, but he leaves it at that, touching his fingertips to her back.

Heat floods her system, radiating from their point of contact. Oh, does she remember his touch.

He looks amused by her groan as she sits, but it's Alexis who asks why she looks so grateful to have a seat.

Kate laughs at the girl's familiar eagerness, using her first sip of coffee as an opportunity to gather her thoughts. "I had a long day at work, that's all."

"Not at Camp Juniper, though, right?"

Kate shakes her head. "I haven't worked there since the summer you went. I'm, ah, I'm a police officer now."

"No way." It's not Alexis this time. "Really?"

She glances at Rick, feeling her lips lift. "Really."

"That is so cool." He sounds so awed, Kate can't help but smirk. Most men are a bit more reserved when she tells them what she does.

Alexis jumps in again, resting her cheek on her hand. "Did you arrest anyone today? Do you have to shoot people?"

Kate exhales. "We try not to, but I have before when there was no other way to deescalate the situation. I didn't arrest anyone today, but I did break up a few fights, wrote a couple citations, and I worked a couple of crime scenes and helped detectives gather evidence for their cases."

And she'd spent some time down in archives, using her break to pour over her mother's case again.

"Where's your uniform? Is it hard being a cop? Is it gross?" Alexis asks, leaning closer. Kate has a feeling Rick would be chastising her, if it weren't for the fact that he looks as intrigued and ready to hear the answers as his daughter does.

"In my bag. And sometimes it is," she answers, keeping it simple, but honest. There's no way she's going to tell a pre-teen what it's really like to step up to a crime scene and see someone's lifeless body. She doesn't even want to describe it to the man at her side; no matter how much he thinks he knows from working on his books, nothing compares to reality. "But there has to be something else you want to talk about. How's school? How are you?"

Alexis thinks. "It's good. I have all As so far, even in math, and I beat everyone in my class in our summer reading contest. I read the most by far."

Kate laughs, remembering the girl who'd often admitted to staying up long after lights out because she just hadn't been able to put her book down. "Yeah? How many did you read?"

"Forty-five!"

She blinks. "You're kidding? _How_?"

"One every couple of days." Alexis shrugs. "We had a super lazy summer. Dad had writing to do, so we laid low at the beach."

Kate nods, remembering a comment on the Richard Castle forum (that she doesn't frequent, just checks in on _occasionally_ ) mentioning that he'd dropped out of sight for a while, though the speculation had been that it wasn't due to writing, but a break up. "That's amazing, Alexis. I don't even think I've managed to finish two books in the last two months."

Beside her, Rick chuckles. "Yeah, but I bet you work fourteen hours a day most of the time, don't you?"

"Not every day," she defends, watching his face light up with amusement and a little bit of wonder. "But work has been busy. Summers are brutal."

He tilts his head. "The heat?"

"There's something about it that makes people weird," she confirms, sipping her coffee. "Summer, and in the winter around Christmas."

"That must be hard," he says, tilting his head. With anyone else, she might put on a brave face and dismiss it entirely, but she nods for him.

"It can be, yeah." She waits a beat, watching him share a look with Alexis. "It's worth it, though," she adds, unsure of why she feels the need to reassure them at all. "It's rewarding work."

Or it will be when she makes detective and can start working to reopen her mother's case. That isn't something she's going to tell either of them, though; Alexis might still remember the sanitized version of her mother's murder, but there's no reason to remind the girl of her personal tragedy.

"And speaking of work," Kate murmurs, needing to shift the focus away from her for the time being. "Can we expect to see a new Richard Castle masterpiece soon?"

As soon as the words leave her mouth, she recognizes her misstep. The last time they were together, the last time they talked about his books, the conversation ended with her sneaking out of his bed at dawn.

Her companion licks his lips, giving himself time to gather his thoughts.

"Dad's new book comes out in a month, Kate," Alexis breaks in, taking the liberty of answering for him. "He was _almost_ late, but he managed to finish in time. Thanks to my excellent incentive system."

Rick chuckles, but he doesn't argue with her. "It was a pretty good system; I'd write outside in the heat and Alexis would push me into the pool after every completed chapter."

Kate laughs. "Sounds… wet."

"But refreshing," Alexis adds, grinning.

"It was that," Rick agrees, glancing back at Kate. Her cheeks warm under his scrutiny. "I can't make promises, but I _could_ try to arrange for an advance copy to make its way to you, if you're interested. And if you promise not to sell it or leak it online."

Kate gawks. "You're kidding. You can do that?"

He lifts a shoulder. "I can try. Will you arrest me if I can't follow through?"

She laughs. "I can't arrest you for not giving me a book you've already stated you aren't certain you can give me."

"Damn, I was hoping I'd get to see your handcuffs."

Her eyes widen at the implication, at the fact that he's said it in front of his daughter, even the fact that it sends a shiver of intrigue up her spine instead of making her roll her eyes the way jokes like that usually do. And she has heard many of them since she put on her uniform for the first time.

"Trust me, Mr. Castle, you don't want to see them in an official capacity," she murmurs, careful not to look in Alexis's direction. The girl is twelve; no matter how much Castle might try to shelter her, there's no way the innuendo will go completely over her head.

Rick smirks into the rim of his coffee cup, lifting his eyebrows. "Another possibility to explore."

"Okay, while you guys flirt," Alexis breaks in, her grin a sunny blend of mischievous and triumphant as they both freeze, "I'm going to get more hot chocolate. Dad, Kate, can I get you anything?"

Kate watches the tips of Rick's ears turn an interesting shade of pink. He shakes his head after a moment, dragging his tongue over his lips as he fishes cash from his wallet.

"No thanks, pumpkin. We're okay."

Alexis nods, taking the money and grabbing her empty cup, making her way to the back of the long line.

Kate exhales, tapping her nail against the cardboard sleeve on her coffee cup. "That was–"

"She does that a lot," Rick says, backpedaling once he realizes what he's said. "Not the flirting comment. I – well I try not to – don't flirt with women in front of her. Much." He winces. "I just meant the nature of her sense of humor, keeping me on my toes. I don't know. I should shut up now."

She snorts. Taking the opportunity to look at him again. His cheeks have joined his ears in growing red, and she can feel the heat in her own face as well.

"You know, I probably should've taken you up on the friendly hug you offered that day at camp, instead of going for the special kind the night of your book party," she says, watching his eyes widen in surprise and more than a little bit of amusement at her choice of words. "But for what it's worth, I'm sorry about disappearing and not calling you back."

He sobers at that, giving his head a quick nod. "Don't worry about it; I wasn't… I didn't expect anything of you. I know the drill from both sides of the table, as terrible as that probably makes me sound."

"No, it doesn't. It's just, I – it wasn't supposed to be like that," she fumbles, searching for the right words. "I was messed up then."

Horror fills his face, twisting his lips into a frown. "Kate, did I – oh God, did I–" He looks sick. "I'm so, so sorry. Jesus, that's a pitiful response, I know. What can I do to – anything at all, I'll do it."

She shakes her head, quick to dispel his assumptions. "No, no, God no. Rick, no." Her fingers cover his, squeezing his hand. "Not messed up as in… no. You didn't take advantage of me, not even close. If anything, it was the other way around."

"Oh, no. Believe me, I was a willing participant there," he insists, tightening his grip on her hand. "Extremely willing."

"Maybe so, but I… still wasn't fair to you," she murmurs, glancing at the line to be sure Alexis is still waiting for her coffee. "I don't know how much Alexis told you when she was at camp and trying to use your hugs to make me feel better, but my mom died when I was nineteen – she was murdered – and her case was never solved. It's why I became a cop."

Rick opens his mouth to speak, halting when she shakes her head. He squeezes her hand in indication for her to continue, in promise that he's not going to interrupt.

"I decided to work at the camp that summer to get away from the darkness, from my dad's drinking and the general shit show that was my life at the time, and it helped. Meeting the kids, meeting Alexis – meeting you – it helped. But then I came back to the city and started school again, and everything just went back to the way it had been for two and a half years and I… I needed that night with you, just to feel something else, something good again. But I couldn't handle more."

"Kate," he breathes, her name seeming to spill from his lips without his consent. "God, I'm so sorry. I had no idea – Alexis never told me why, just that she thought you could use the hug."

"Instead I kind of used you," she confesses, ducking her head. "And I'm sorry for that."

She watches Rick's head tilt in surprise as his thumb slips across her knuckles, his touch simultaneously soothing and invigorating, reminding her of every spark of heat between them that night. "Apology accepted," he rumbles, as if forgiving her for bailing is the easiest thing in the world.

Nodding, Kate feels something settle in her chest, some piece of her that's been out of place finding its way back into position. "Thank you."

His lips lift in a gentle smile. "Though I do have to say, that was one of the better ways to be used. You could've taken my money or started spilling information about Alexis to the tabloids, so if you were going to use me, I appreciate that you did it in such a pleasurable way."

A choked laugh works its way from her throat. "That's horrible, Rick."

"I'm just saying," he defends. "If I had to pick how to be used, I would pick allowing a beautiful woman to have her way with me for a night over the alternatives."

Her cheeks flush, and it seems like that's all the response he needs.

"How's your dad?" he asks after a sip of his coffee. Kate lifts an eyebrow in confusion. "You said he was drinking then," he explains, taking care to keep his voice down.

She nods, flexing her fingers in his grip. Not letting go, not asking to be released, just adjusting. "He's sober now. Almost a year."

Rick exhales. "I'm glad."

"Me too," she breathes. Her dad has come a long way, but there are still times when she's not convinced it'll last, when she's sure she'll call him at the end of a rough case and hear the familiar, agitated slide of his words instead of crisp, calm sobriety.

"What about your mom's case?" he murmurs, drawing her eyes back to his.

She shakes her head. "I can't solve it until I make detective. Nobody'll reopen it, no matter how many times I ask them to. It has to be me."

Rick nods, looking thoughtful. It's on the tip of her tongue to tell him she's working it anyway, that she's doing her own research, that each night she sits on her living room floor making notes and pouring over each piece of paper she'd been able to photocopy and bring home, but she doesn't. She could lose her job over it, lose her chance at justice for her mom; there's no way she's admitting to a civilian what she's done.

"And what about you?" he continues, startling her out of her contemplation. "Is life less of a shit show now?"

Her lips twist into a wry smile. "It has its moments." And this is one of the better ones, she must admit.

"Anything I can do?" he asks. She glances down at their hands, noting the kiss of their palms, the shared warmth of their skin.

Her heart flips in her chest, the answer on the tip of her tongue. Rick's thumb slides over hers, the gesture so simple but so sweet, it gives her the push she needs to just speak.

"How 'bout that hug, maybe?"

His hand slips away from hers to wind his arms around her shoulders, drawing her into the warmth of his chest. Kate swallows hard, burying her nose in his collar, breathing in the scent of him; aftershave, detergent, even a hint of the spice of his skin.

They exhale in tandem, his arms banding around her, draining the tension from her spine, making her forget – just for a moment – why she'd needed his embrace in the first place.

"I took a guess," he murmurs into her hair, pulling a curious hum from the back of her throat. "Figured since we were in public you meant this kind of hug, not the special one," he adds, holding her tighter as mirth overwhelms her. "Though I'd be happy to provide that, too. Just say the word."

It's been so long since she's even considered a romantic interlude, she can't say the thought is unappealing to her, but she shouldn't. A one-night stand isn't fair to him, it isn't fair to his daughter – who would undoubtedly understand Kate's presence in their home during the wee hours of the morning this time around.

But God, he feels good. He feels so good, just as she remembers, and her body practically sings with want.

Her breath comes easier, too. Just by being with him like this.

"Why don't I buy you dinner sometime," she hears herself suggest, feeling his sharp intake of breath at the implication that it would be more than just indulging in something physical, "and we can see where things go from there?"

His reply comes quickly, the delight unmistakable in his voice. "Deal."

* * *

For the first time in a long while, Alexis watches him finish preparing for a date. She hasn't done this since before his first date with Gina, but tonight she's ensconced in the chair beside his bed, tracking his movements with a keen gaze.

"What's on your mind, pumpkin?" Rick asks, meeting her eyes in the mirror, his fingers stilling on his cuffs.

His daughter tilts her head, looking thoughtful. "Why didn't you and Kate date before? After camp and your book party? I thought you would – I kinda hoped you would."

Ah, that question. Since Kate had joined them for coffee and they'd spent the next few hours getting to know each other again, he'd been expecting Alexis to bring up what happened with her former counselor. She had asked him once before, the morning she had spotted Kate tiptoeing out of the loft, but it hasn't come up again – until now.

"I know you did, honey, but I think," he starts, using the time it takes to cross the room to consider where he's going with this. "I think it just wasn't the right time. We needed to be in a different place than we were then."

Alexis's brow furrows. "But you haven't gone anywhere."

"Maybe not physically," he agrees, gesturing around the room. "But in here," he taps his chest, then his head, "we're a lot different than we were back then. You're more grown up than you were four years ago; so is Kate, and so am I."

"Well," she drawls, her smile teasing. "You got two out of three."

"Funny." Rick ruffles her hair, kneeling in front of the chair. "You know what I mean, though. We've changed because of everything we've experienced, and I think that means Kate and I are in a better position to take dating seriously."

It isn't a platitude, or an excuse for his daughter's benefit. They had been too different, too disconnected from one another, when they met for the first time at Camp Juniper. Four years ago, Kate had still been in college and dealing with tragedy in her life, just trying to keep her head above water. Meanwhile, he'd been comfortable in his cushy life, telling himself that she was too young for him and he wasn't interested in more, and he'd still slept with her when given the opportunity. They'd both needed to grow to have any chance of this date turning into something that's good and right for all of them.

"Oh," Alexis says, leaning her cheek on her hand. "That makes sense, I guess."

"Yeah?" he asks, brushing her bangs away from her eyes. She's getting so big, his baby bird, but is still so innocent in many ways. "You're okay with this, right? I know it hasn't been very long since Gina and I broke up, and I don't want you to think I'm just jumping from one relationship to another."

His daughter nods, taking his arm, guiding the button on his shirt cuff through the hole. "I'm okay with it, Dad. I'd rather… this is _way_ better than some of the girls you could go out with. The ones who make gaga eyes at you at your parties but don't even know you. And Gina was _so_ bad for you, but Kate's great. I think she is, anyway. She made you laugh, she's smart, she likes you."

Given that he's nearly ready to go meet the woman in question for dinner, he'll take the vote of confidence, and they'll return to the subject of his ex some other time.

"Good," he says, dropping a kiss on his daughter's forehead. "Now, how do I look?"

Alexis smiles, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, her cheek mashing against his shirt. "Like a million and a half bucks," she answers.

Rick squeezes her, his arms tight in hopes of calming the nervous flutter of his heart. "Perfect."

His daughter echoes the sentiment before patting his shoulder and pushing him away. "Let's go see if Gram's on her way; you don't want to be late."

He can't help the smile that lifts his cheeks. No, he does not.

* * *

The first time she'd been here, she had barely taken the time to look around, preferring to throw off the bed covers and find her clothes, escaping without leaving a trace of herself.

Now when she wakes in Rick Castle's bed, she doesn't feel panic course through her veins the way it had after his book party. Instead she allows herself to drift, to relish in the weight of his arm around her waist, the warmth of his hand between her breasts. She's relaxed enough to listen for the catch of his breathing that indicates he's awake (and could possibly be up for another amazing round), and content enough to enjoy the peace of his slumber when that indicator doesn't come.

It's hard to believe that it's been eight months since the afternoon in the coffee shop, since she'd been able to explain to him why she couldn't stay the first time; since she'd taken an impulsive leap into what would become a true relationship with Richard Castle. It hasn't been easy by any stretch. There are days when she's closed off, exhausted from work and her off-the-books investigation, unable to handle her boyfriend's exuberance and light, and she tells him so in less than polite terms. There are also days when he's moody and stuck in his own head, and it's better if they retreat to their separate corners for a little while. But even when they're not at their best, they balance each other out; on his bad days, she tries to be what he needs, and he does the same for her without reservation.

He does so much more than that, though, and that's why she's going to slip from his bed in a few minutes, find a robe to throw on over her thin nightclothes, and get started on a breakfast feast to show her appreciation for the way he loves her. Then once their bellies are full and the day has begun, she'll dig out the bags she's been packing in secret for the last few days, and present him with an offer she hopes he won't refuse.

Kate shakes her head against her pillow, swiping her thumb over her boyfriend's knuckles. She's being silly; there's no way Rick is going to decline to go to her father's cabin after they drop Alexis off at Camp Juniper for the month. He understands what the cabin means to both Kate and Jim, knows that it has become a sanctuary for them in recent years, and he'll be amazed that she wants to share it with him.

Her heart stumbles. There's so much she wants to share with him. A week in a special place barely begins to scratch the surface.

"Kate," he murmurs, flexing his fingers in her grasp, his lips bumping the back of her neck. "S'too early to be thinking this much."

"Sorry," she breathes, lifting his hand to her mouth. "Couldn't go back to sleep."

Rick hums, staining her skin with another kiss, his hips welcoming hers as she squirms back.

"Worried about camp?" he asks, somehow already conversational despite just waking up. She's always appreciated that about him, his ability to be present so quickly.

Kate shakes her head. "No, not worried. She's going to be fine."

Rick nods, nuzzling his nose behind her ear. "Yeah she is. I can't say the same for myself," he adds, grinning into her skin when she laughs.

"Don't worry, baby," she mocks, reaching back to pat his cheek. "I'll take good care of you."

"Promises, promises," he singsongs. His mouth touches the inside of her wrist, his breath spilling hot against her skin. Kate shivers, rolling to face him, dragging his head to hers.

Her kiss is fierce, unrelenting, and his chest heaves against hers when she breaks away for air. His hand opens and closes at her back, slipping down to her hip, drawing her in for more.

"Keep my promises to you," she murmurs against his lips, glancing up at him from under her lashes. He knows how hard she tries, anyway. Even when she falls a bit short, she makes every attempt to do right by him and Alexis.

"You do," he confirms, his eyes warm with affection. "You do, Kate."

Her fingers lift, brushing his hair away from his forehead, caressing the line of his cheek. "So, consider this a preview for the weeks to come."

She pushes him onto his back before he has the chance to question what she means by that.

The rest of her plan comes together a little bit differently than Kate had anticipated, given that Alexis spills the beans about their getaway while she cooks, but as Rick surges across the breakfast bar to cup her cheek and kiss her, she can't complain about the way it plays out.

They're going to have a great summer.

* * *

 _Thank you all so much for the opportunity to share this with you. I started this story not intending for it to become a Mini-Ficathon entry, but I'm so glad it did! I hope you've enjoyed this. Thank you for your kind words and your encouragement._

 _Prompt from theunstoppableforce: AU - Castle takes his 8 year old daughter to a summer camp in upstate NY. Beckett is her supervisor (not sure that's the word). Kate has just lost her mother and bonds with Alexis._

 _I hope I was able to do the prompt justice! Thank you all again. Until next time!_


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